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Reprinted with permission of Boating Life Magazine.
Crownline 216 LSBy Walt Stearns Crownline set us up. Their spokesmen toned down the hype before our test of the new 216 LS with trademarked F.A.S.T. Tab hull, billing it as just another bowrider. Our modest expectations were catapulted upon seeing one of the first production models sitting in the water late last fall, with the cockpit’s highly raked windshield segueing nicely into the hull’s aerodynamic lines. It was not the same ol’, same ol’.
The 216 incorporates a unitized inner liner — floor, consoles and seat bases molded into a single piece of fiberglass to eliminate gaps and flex in the flooring. We also noted finished fiberglass within the in-floor wakeboard/ski locker — immaculate. In addition to a hidden rope locker, the very tip of the bow includes a telescoping ladder, making it possible to board the boat from the front. At the opposite end the large sun pad hinges up to reveal a convenient transom companionway. I pulled up the bolster on the bucket seat to give an extra seven inches of clearance, plunked down at the helm and adjusted the tilt wheel (standard). And then I had some fun. A minor tip of the bow out of the hole didn’t impede the sightline, and we dropped onto plane at about 17.5 mph. After that, the LS settled into a wonderful running and turning attitude above 3,000 rpm. This can be attributed to Crownline’s vented chine system. It’s basically a notch on each side of the hull designed to vent additional air toward the running surface. By breaking water tension on the hull’s wetted surface, the boat is able to get more lift. To help lock the 216 LS into some of the tighter turns we threw it into, the vented chines incorporate Crownline’s Fin Assisted Safe Turn (F.A.S.T. Tab) system. There’s a short blade that digs into the water so the hull doesn’t slide sideways as the boat banks during a high-speed turn. The ride throughout the speed range was firm and quiet because of ample below-deck insulation, even as we approached a top speed near 50 mph with the 5.0-liter MerCruiser MPI Alpha 1 stern-drive — right on the suggested top-end open-throttle range for the 220-hp V8. While we thought the power package was acceptable, the boat is rated for 320 hp. Given the depth of Crownline’s MerCruiser and Volvo engine options, contentment for both water-sports lovers and speed freaks should be more than attainable. STATS Length Overall (w/ standard extended swim platform): 22′4″ Test Drive Test Engine: MerCruiser 5.0L MPI Alpha (220 HP) Contact Crownline Boats RPM/MPH/SOUND LEVEL Idle/3.6/67 db Notable Features
Originally Published: April 2004 Reprinted with permission of Boating Life Magazine. |
To begin with, the 216 LS’s 8½-foot beam is carried a little more forward than on its sibling, the 210 BR, giving the bow’s seating arena a more circular flair. A tad more space up front adds to the broad-shouldered sensation throughout the rest of the 216’s cockpit. The impression, communicated by the interior’s plush snap-in carpeting and thick foam-padded upholstery, beckons those coming aboard to kick off their shoes.
